Third ESPA Management Third ESPA Management Alternative Working - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ESPA Comprehensive Aquifer Management ESPA Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan Framework Process Plan Framework Process Third ESPA Management Third ESPA Management Alternative Working Group Alternative Working Group Meeting Meeting CDR Associates CDR Associates Jonathan Bartsch and Diane Tate Jonathan Bartsch and Diane Tate January 10,2007 January 10,2007

Agenda Agenda Morning: Review Management Morning: Review Management Alternatives as presented in the draft Alternatives as presented in the draft framework framework After Lunch: Review Funding Principles After Lunch: Review Funding Principles and Strategies and Strategies Late Afternoon: Discuss goals and Late Afternoon: Discuss goals and objectives for aquifer management objectives for aquifer management Time permitting: Process for Plan Time permitting: Process for Plan development development

So what’ ’s in this Framework? s in this Framework? So what Mandate from the Legislature Mandate from the Legislature Process followed in developing the Process followed in developing the Framework Framework General goal and objectives General goal and objectives Discussion of management alternatives Discussion of management alternatives Discussion of funding Discussion of funding Interim measures Interim measures Implementation and Next Steps, including Implementation and Next Steps, including Plan Development Process Plan Development Process

Management Alternatives Management Alternatives Morning Session Morning Session

Management Alternatives Management Alternatives Alternatives to Increase Supply Alternatives to Increase Supply – Managed Recharge Managed Recharge – – Incidental Recharge Incidental Recharge – – Site Site- -Specific Supply Augmentation Specific Supply Augmentation – Alternatives to Reduce Withdrawals from the Alternatives to Reduce Withdrawals from the Aquifer Aquifer – Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program – (CREP) (CREP) – Groundwater to Surface Water Conversions Groundwater to Surface Water Conversions – Alternatives to Decrease Overall Demand for Alternatives to Decrease Overall Demand for Water Water – Thousand Springs Demand Reduction Thousand Springs Demand Reduction – – Buyouts or Buy Buyouts or Buy- -downs downs – – Conservation Reserve Program Conservation Reserve Program –

Managed Recharge Managed Recharge What should the Board recommend to the What should the Board recommend to the Legislature in the Framework? Legislature in the Framework? – Carry Managed Recharge forward into the Carry Managed Recharge forward into the – Plan development process? Plan development process? – Interim measures? Interim measures? –

Managed Recharge Managed Recharge Factors that influence the efficiency, Factors that influence the efficiency, effectiveness, and cost of managed effectiveness, and cost of managed recharge: recharge: – Source of recharge water Source of recharge water – Recharge rights Recharge rights Water from rental pool Water from rental pool Water quality considerations Water quality considerations Effects from other agreements/operations Effects from other agreements/operations – Targeting recharge benefits Targeting recharge benefits – – Incentives to participate Incentives to participate –

Risk Factors Risk Factors Weather Weather Surface Water Quality Surface Water Quality Responsiveness Responsiveness Others? Others?

Incidental Recharge Incidental Recharge Operational changes could result in less Operational changes could result in less incidental recharge incidental recharge How can the Plan provide incentives to How can the Plan provide incentives to continue today’ ’s level of incidental s level of incidental continue today recharge? recharge? What are the “ “hidden costs hidden costs” ” of keeping of keeping What are the things the way they are? things the way they are?

Site- -Specific Supply Augmentation Specific Supply Augmentation Site How can the Board identify where How can the Board identify where opportunities exist? opportunities exist? How much potential is there to make a How much potential is there to make a difference? difference?

Conservation Reserve Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Enhancement Program Program enrollment ends in 2007 – – before before Program enrollment ends in 2007 completion of the Plan completion of the Plan Should action on CREP be an interim Should action on CREP be an interim measure for the Board? measure for the Board?

Current Limitations to Enrollment Current Limitations to Enrollment Only 25% of the farm acreage in each county Only 25% of the farm acreage in each county may enroll in a Federally- -funded conservation funded conservation may enroll in a Federally program. program. Limit on the payout any individual farmer may Limit on the payout any individual farmer may receive from conservation programs in any one receive from conservation programs in any one year of $50,000. year of $50,000. Unless ground is within a “ “priority area priority area” ”, it must , it must Unless ground is within a be designated as “ “highly highly erodable erodable” ” to be eligible to be eligible be designated as for CREP. for CREP. CREP requires that every acre to be enrolled CREP requires that every acre to be enrolled must have been planted at least once in the past must have been planted at least once in the past X years. X years. Case- -specific limitations. specific limitations. Case

Reasons for Low Enrollment in CREP Reasons for Low Enrollment in CREP Value of keeping land in production is greater than the Value of keeping land in production is greater than the amount the CREP payments and state incentive amount the CREP payments and state incentive payments. payments. Farmers need to maintain large tracts to make farming Farmers need to maintain large tracts to make farming economically viable, and cannot afford to put a portion of economically viable, and cannot afford to put a portion of their land out of production. their land out of production. A 15 year commitment limits flexibility – – anyone opting anyone opting A 15 year commitment limits flexibility out of the CREP program must repay all benefits out of the CREP program must repay all benefits received in one lump some (including a purchaser of received in one lump some (including a purchaser of CREP- -enrolled acreage) enrolled acreage) CREP Some may not have the correct information about Some may not have the correct information about eligibility, including assuming that if their land is not eligibility, including assuming that if their land is not highly erodable erodable, it is not eligible (exception in , it is not eligible (exception in “ “priority priority highly areas” ”) ) areas Land is within a county where the combined 25% Land is within a county where the combined 25% CREP/CRP cap has been reached. CREP/CRP cap has been reached.

Possible Board Actions Possible Board Actions Investigate ways to transition temporary acreage Investigate ways to transition temporary acreage retirement under CREP permanent to reduce retirement under CREP permanent to reduce groundwater pumping past the 15 year CREP period. groundwater pumping past the 15 year CREP period. Increase the state incentive payments to make Increase the state incentive payments to make enrollment an economically viable alternative for those enrollment an economically viable alternative for those that currently qualify but have chosen not to participate. that currently qualify but have chosen not to participate. Negotiate changes to the program with FSA that could Negotiate changes to the program with FSA that could increase enrollment. However, original negotiations increase enrollment. However, original negotiations between FSA and the state were thorough, and there between FSA and the state were thorough, and there may not be willingness to re- -open issues. Possible open issues. Possible may not be willingness to re negotiated modifications to the program include: negotiated modifications to the program include: – Increase the extent of – Increase the extent of “ “priority areas priority areas” ” to make more land that to make more land that does not meet the highly- -erodable erodable designation eligible for CREP designation eligible for CREP does not meet the highly – Raise 25% ceiling in certain counties Raise 25% ceiling in certain counties – – Develop a protocol for dealing with land that uses both surface Develop a protocol for dealing with land that uses both surface – water and groundwater for irrigation that allows this land to enroll roll water and groundwater for irrigation that allows this land to en with certainty that water consumption from surface water will not t with certainty that water consumption from surface water will no increase. increase.

Conversions – – GW to SW GW to SW Conversions Limited by canal capacity and delivery Limited by canal capacity and delivery demands from existing customers demands from existing customers In what areas does potential exist? In what areas does potential exist? How should the Board pursue this How should the Board pursue this alternative? alternative?